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Gyorko wraps up stellar rookie campaign

Gyorko wraps up stellar rookie campaign

9/28/13: Jedd Gyorko drills a two-run homer into the left-center-field seats, giving the Padres a six-run lead over the Giants

By Rick Eymer
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Special to MLB.com |

SAN FRANCISCO -- With the exception of missing a month of the season with a right groin strain, Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko probably couldn't script a better rookie season.

After slugging his first career grand slam in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Giants, he led all Major League rookies with 23 home runs and 48 extra-base hits and became the first rookie to lead the Padres in RBIs since Nate Colbert did it in 1969.

In fact, Gyorko is the first rookie second baseman since at least 1920, when the RBI became an official stat, to lead his team in RBIs. His 23 homers are also the third most in history by a rookie second baseman.

Perhaps most impressively is that Gyorko, who has made four errors all season, had 48 games of second-base experience in the Minors before the season began.

He finished the year with a .992 fielding percentage, the best performance by a rookie second baseman in Major League history.

Gyorko was drafted as a third baseman by the Padres in the second round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

"You look at his complete season and he's done very well," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He's very consistent with his fielding. That was one of our concerns, moving to second. After the first couple of weeks of Spring Training, we knew he would be fine. He was making plays, moving left and right and turning the double play."

Rick Eymer is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.